With the current partial government shutdown, many federal workers aren’t receiving paychecks. This includes TSA officers, and that’s leading to an increasing number of sick calls, which has meant longer lines at security. Some airports have even seen over 50% of TSA agents call in sick on some days.
Past government shutdowns have sometimes ultimately ended because of the impacts on our aviation ecosystem. Along those lines, a couple of days ago, President Trump suggested he’s going to do something that’s sure to be controversial. We’re now starting to learn more details about what this will look like…
In this post:
Trump sends ICE agents to “help” at airports
On the evening of Saturday, March 21, 2026, Trump took to social media to write the following:
The Radical Left Democrats have hurt so many people with their vicious and uncaring ways. What they have done to the Department of Homeland Security, our fantastic TSA Officers, and, most importantly, the great people of our Country, is an absolute disgrace. If the Democrats do not allow for Just and Proper Security at our Airports, and elsewhere throughout our Country, ICE will do the job far better than ever done before! The Fascist Democrats will never protect America, but the Republicans will. Just like the Radical Left allowed millions of Criminals to pour into our Country through their ridiculous and dangerous Open Border Policy, the Republicans closed it all down, and we now have the Strongest Border in American History. Likewise, I look forward to moving ICE in on Monday, and have already told them to, “GET READY.” NO MORE WAITING, NO MORE GAMES! President DONALD J. TRUMP
So yeah, starting today, ICE will work at TSA checkpoints, and they’ll “do the job far better than ever done before!” At least that’s Trump’s claim. It’s not yet clear if ICE agents working at airports will be allowed to wear masks or not, and if they’ll be required to identify themselves.
The union representing TSA agents has slammed this concept:
“More than 50,000 TSA employees have worked without pay for over five weeks. Hundreds have quit. And Washington’s answer isn’t to pay them. It’s to send ICE agents to do their jobs.
“ICE agents are not trained or certified in aviation security. TSA officers spend months learning to detect explosives, weapons, and threats specifically designed to evade detection at checkpoints — skills that require specialized instruction, hands-on practice, and ongoing recertification. You cannot improvise that. Putting untrained personnel at security checkpoints does not fill a gap. It creates one.”
“Our members at TSA have been showing up every day, without a paycheck, because they believe in the mission of keeping the flying public safe. They deserve to be paid, not replaced by untrained, armed agents who have shown how dangerous they can be.”
“Congress has the power to fund TSA today. It’s time for them to stop playing politics and do their jobs.”
White House Border Czar clarifies Trump’s plans
On Sunday, March 22, 2026, White House Border Czar Tom Homan appeared on CNN to explain more about what the plan is for staffing ICE agents at airports:
- Homan suggests that ICE agents will indeed start working at airports today, and on Sunday he was working on the plan
- Homan claims that ICE agents are highly qualified to perform airport security, though they likely won’t be screening bags or passengers, but instead, will be sitting at exits and performing similar functions, to alleviate TSA agents, and allow them to focus on screening passengers
- It’s not yet known how many ICE agents will be deployed to airports, but expect them to be at the airports that have seen the highest number of TSA officers call in sick
- I love the question of “with respect, if you’re doing this all in 24 hours, how well thought out could it be?”
This is all so amazing in the context of Trump’s claim that “ICE will do the job far better than ever done before.” Indeed, they’ll guard those exits and maybe check IDs like no one has ever done before. This man’s level of hyperbole is unrivaled. Hopefully they don’t get distracted by non-white people, or people speaking different languages…
Interestingly, this does indeed seem to be happening as of today, and there are already some pictures and videos of ICE agents at TSA checkpoints. However, it looks like they’re shadowing TSA agents for now, or running away from people taking pictures and videos, rather than actually performing any duties.
Bottom line
President Trump is deploying ICE agents to TSA checkpoints as of today, and claims that they’ll do a better job than has ever been done before. But the White House Border Czar also claims that they’ll just be guarding exits and performing similar tasks that require minimal training. I’m sure many people will appreciate the opportunity to “thank” ICE agents for their “service.”
Are you excited to see ICE agents working as TSA officers?
I welcome ICE agents and even our military folks who are offering help to reduce the TSA lines. Enough of the politics. Innocent people are being harmed by this delay. TSA agents need to be paid now. Companies and airlines are being harmed.
@Ben
Delta has just said they will not allow special privileges or line cutting until this mess is ended.
This is something the entire industry needs to adopt.
and then cancel their tickets to leave Washington until this mess is fixed.
for members of Congress
Dear Blogger: I do not understand your issue with this proposal, unless of course, you want to be political, again.
Here's why- they're not doing anything useful. ICE agents have been observed essentially just hanging out. They are in theory "patrolling the terminal" but they are not in any way helping lines get shorter or the security process improve. This was foreseen.
So they are going to have Ice agents, who are drawing a salary work along side TSA agents that aren’t? I’m sure that will boost the morale of the TSA agents and cut down on the sick calls and resignations.
Saw two at my checkpoint at JFK T4 this afternoon. There was a 30 second wait for pre check passengers with touchless ID. The two ICE agents were standing there doing nothing. They added no value to the process whatsoever.
Just like you don’t add any value to our civilization.
Just curious were they carrying weapons?
Yes, they were
Of course they were! They still have tiny dicks to compensate for, don’t they?
They ought to enforce the carry-on bag rules .
Then enforce the dog-pet rules .
Then take a break .
If this helps then great, just a reminder too there have been more ICE arrests and deportations under Obama than Trump.
It won't. It's theater. So Obama was actually better than Trump at something Trump claims he is good at without all these surges into democratic cities without the violence and murder. I guess it was more theater.
Either trumptards are too dumb or ignorant to understand, issue has never been the actual deportations. But the manner of enforcement. Obama did it but he didn't create chaos in any cities, he didn't kill American citizens, he didn't unlawfully imprison American citizens. His ICE didn't roam streets of American cities, stopping anyone that didn't look or speak like an "American".
Isn't it illegal to take pictures at the security checkpoint? People should have their phones confiscated or maybe arrested.
Can I take a picture of you licking your Lord’s boot?
He can’t wear boots due to his recurring bone spurs. Every time there’s a war they start hurting again.
If it returns airports to normal operations I'm all for it.
the vast majority of people see that reality, no matter how pragmatic it is.
To pretend that government dysfunction is the domain of any one party or person is delusional.
People want this fixed and for it not to be repeated over and over again as it has been.
@Tim Dumb, "To pretend that government dysfunction is the domain of any one party or person is delusional." remember this if and when there's a democratic admin in the Whitehouse. Don't be like your overlord - "Shutdown means the president is weak" when I am not president, but it doesn't when I am the president
You're really that naive?
If you close your eyes and wish really hard unicorns that fart rainbows will also fly across the sky sending skittles down on you.
It's already causing chaos at sfo where there were no tsa issues because sfo is one of the few airports who can hire private sources of tsa.
Keep grovelling for the Epstein class, trumptards.
Could also help with people brainwashed by the media that ICE agents are racist or whatever. Could humanize them and show they’re not bad people, and quite the contrary, helping to protect our sovereignty. Who would have guessed to enforce immigration you have to target non-Americans? The mass hysteria over the last few months has been something else.
But ICEholes are racist sociopaths with Freudian gun fetishes and non-functional members vitae. They do not represent me as an American.
Last I checked ICE was detaining people with valid credentials based solely on the color of their skin/spoken language, and ICE did in fact shoot and kill two American citizens. ICE is in fact running literal gulags, keeping detainees in horrendous conditions (and bragging about it!), denying detainees basic needs and medical care, and is shuffling detainees around the country as a legal shell game to deny legal representation.
That's fucked up. There's no defense...
Last I checked ICE was detaining people with valid credentials based solely on the color of their skin/spoken language, and ICE did in fact shoot and kill two American citizens. ICE is in fact running literal gulags, keeping detainees in horrendous conditions (and bragging about it!), denying detainees basic needs and medical care, and is shuffling detainees around the country as a legal shell game to deny legal representation.
That's fucked up. There's no defense to that behavior.
When the day comes when all Republicans are sent to concentration camps, I'll happily operate the gas chambers and ask to choose the MAGAt posters here as subjects for medical experiments.
Thank you for showing to the world who you are and what values you espouse.
You're on the list for the testicular torsion test.
your name speaks volumes
If this is a joke, it’s in incredibly poor taste. If it’s serious, it’s a vile and disgusting thing to write, and you owe it to yourself and everyone else to recant it.
This is not how we should be talking about fellow Americans (or fellow humans), ever.
No, I'm not recanting it. I'm serious about concentration camps for Republicans. It's a fantasy, and I know it won't come true, but I can still dream.
Ben, I strongly encourage you to take this down and/or suspend ORD_Is_My_Second_Home. This comment crosses the line in a truly vile way.
I condemn ORD_Is_My_Second_Home‘s comments in the strongest possible terms. The Shoah is one of the most horrific blights on the history of humankind, and should never be used as the basis of a joke or a sincere plan to reenact it against someone’s political opponents.
You do know that concentration camps were invented by the British in the Boer War? Maybe I'm referring to those. And if I meant it to be a Shoah reference, please note that I'm on Israel's side. And I have No Due Respect for snowflakes like you.
Your deflection is not credible, ORD_Is_My_Second_Home. British Boer War camps had no gas chambers and no medical experiments on prisoners. You explicitly offered to operate gas chambers and select MAGA supporters for medical experiments. That is pure Nazi imagery, not a British historical reference. Your attempt at retconning your vile comment is rather sad. Add to it, there’s nothing pro-Israel about fantasizing about genocide against Americans. Own your words.
I do own them. I want to commit genocide against my political opponents because of the treasonous damage that they've done to the country going back to Nixon, which has all been within my lifetime. I have no problem with this opinion. That's because I'm not a sensitive little nelly like you. Get a pair.
ord, you've been caught out mate. turn your life around.
not sure if you're just shitposting or you really are a fan of executing/torturing your political enemies, either way, sort yourself out, if only for the good of your own soul
I am a fan of torturing and executing my political enemies because a lot of them would have no trouble in regarding me as less than human and unworthy of rights due to who I am attracted to and who I love. And I do not believe in sin or a soul.
@Ben Schlappig - - not sure you want any of your commenters fantasizing about putting people in concentration camps and torturing them too. Sick stuff.
@Ben can you please delete and ban this person from ever commenting? This is truly disgusting.
Some people are so politically jaded that they cannot see that deploying ICE to airports COULD BE the biggest image rehabilitation/PR job in history.
ICE’s reputation was badly damaged over the past year esp. because of what happened in Minnesota but most people are being impacted far more by what is going on at airports in a situation that could go from bad to worse since Congress is supposed to be on vacation for...
Some people are so politically jaded that they cannot see that deploying ICE to airports COULD BE the biggest image rehabilitation/PR job in history.
ICE’s reputation was badly damaged over the past year esp. because of what happened in Minnesota but most people are being impacted far more by what is going on at airports in a situation that could go from bad to worse since Congress is supposed to be on vacation for a couple weeks.
It would be negligent to not come up with some plan B given the funding impasse and the soaring TSA checkpoint delays.
Other branches of the government including ICE are funded.
And let’s also not pretend that TSA has never been liked since they were created post 9/11. This just might be an opportunity to move everything except ICE out of DHS and then shutter the entire department, putting ICE and CBP someplace where funding will be assured. And it isn’t even clear that we need much out of ICE as long as borders remain secure and local governments cooperate w/ federal immigration efforts – which Minneapolis is now doing.
People want solutions to problems. Congress has failed to do it. ICE and other federal employees that are funded could step in until a real solution is found.
Local airport screening could return to private companies with much greater involvement from the feds in setting standards and ensuring uniform, up-to-date screening processes.
I am sure some people will take this very message to be political but I want to see aviation work and what happens right now on many levels does not.
The notion that Congress has "failed" is evasion, Mr. Dunn. Facts first.
Democrats have pushed clean TSA funding bills at least six times (some tallies say seven or nine for broader non-ICE DHS parts), all blocked by Republicans who insist on linking it to unrestricted ICE money. Result: DHS lapse now over five weeks, TSA officers unpaid (hundreds quit), checkpoints with hours-long delays.
ICE agents, fully funded, get deployed to airports as a makeshift fix,...
The notion that Congress has "failed" is evasion, Mr. Dunn. Facts first.
Democrats have pushed clean TSA funding bills at least six times (some tallies say seven or nine for broader non-ICE DHS parts), all blocked by Republicans who insist on linking it to unrestricted ICE money. Result: DHS lapse now over five weeks, TSA officers unpaid (hundreds quit), checkpoints with hours-long delays.
ICE agents, fully funded, get deployed to airports as a makeshift fix, PR spin amid Minnesota fallout. Your ideas—dismantle DHS, privatize screening—are bold. But the impasse endures because one party demands all-or-nothing on immigration enforcement, not compromise.
Congress has not failed. One side has chosen leverage over solutions. Travelers foot the bill. Again.
"Could" is doing some enormous lifting here. They aren't doing anything. They're standing around while airport employees and TSA do the actual work of like management and security screening. They're not serving any actual purpose. Nobody's going to thank an ICE agent for blocking crowded hallways.
this is a couple hours into the process.
People say they were there at ATL before 8 am, likely before senior ATL station leadership even reported to work.
It is worth an UPDATE on what is actually happening in a couple days but I don't throw any ideas out right off the bat.
Why would leadership not be on hand to get ahead of the cluster? It's not like 2-4 hour wait times were new as of today.
And let's be clear here. Everything that people say ICE was going to do other than operating scanners and ID checks is currently being done by *airport* employees, who are getting paid.
and your second point IS my point.
There are lots of things that can be done by other than TSA employees.
Who knows how long this plan has been in motion from Washington but rolling out the plan at 2 am was likely not in the plans.
and it is beyond absurd to think that ICE is the only other group of federal employees that could be tapped to fill whatever can be done.
...and your second point IS my point.
There are lots of things that can be done by other than TSA employees.
Who knows how long this plan has been in motion from Washington but rolling out the plan at 2 am was likely not in the plans.
and it is beyond absurd to think that ICE is the only other group of federal employees that could be tapped to fill whatever can be done.
It is beyond incredible that it hasn't gotten this far but to pretend that any administration or any airport would ride this down to a complete shutdown of airport security is insane.
"pulling the rip cord" on a plan B needed to happen a week ago.
Who actually does it really doesn't matter.
The fact that ICE could become the heroes to a lot of people that could otherwise watch their flights leave w/o them is clearly the part that bothers you and others.
Other "airport employees" did not have a reputation that was so tarnished over the past year. As a group, no one stands to benefit more than ICE by becoming part of a solution whether you see that or not.
>There are lots of things that can be done by other than TSA employees.
Which are being done by airport employees. Those things arent the bottleneck. The bottleneck is TSA agents to run scanners and ID checks. If ICE started training on that *today* it would be a week or two at bare minimum before they could substitute for TSA in those roles. Which begs the bigger question: why the hell is the GOP so...
>There are lots of things that can be done by other than TSA employees.
Which are being done by airport employees. Those things arent the bottleneck. The bottleneck is TSA agents to run scanners and ID checks. If ICE started training on that *today* it would be a week or two at bare minimum before they could substitute for TSA in those roles. Which begs the bigger question: why the hell is the GOP so adamant that TSA funding be tied to ICE funding? Why is the GOP so adamant that people endure 2-4 hour security lines just so that ICE can keep violating people's civil liberties?
It's wild that you see this as some 5d chess scheme to rehabilitate ICE's reputation when the entire reason there's an "opportunity" is because Trump and the GOP can't pass a fucking spending bill without making it *everyone's* problem.
I ask the same questions whether you believe it or not.
But you also have to ask yourself why one side has to use holding people hostage in TSA screening lines in order to change how ICE runs when ICE is funded.
Everyone of your condemnations of one side can be answered w/ a response in the opposite direction.
The fact that you are incapable of seeing the process as failed IS the problem
>But you also have to ask yourself why one side has to use holding people hostage in TSA screening lines in order to change how ICE runs when ICE is funded.
You mean the GOP? This isn't both sides. Dems are happy to fund TSA now. So the GOP, if there were any left with a shred of decency, should then pass what they agree with Dems on and then find a compromise later on...
>But you also have to ask yourself why one side has to use holding people hostage in TSA screening lines in order to change how ICE runs when ICE is funded.
You mean the GOP? This isn't both sides. Dems are happy to fund TSA now. So the GOP, if there were any left with a shred of decency, should then pass what they agree with Dems on and then find a compromise later on ICE. Would you agree that's how competent governance should work?
That the GOP *won't* compromise to fund TSA in a separate bill tells us what all this is really about. This is the GOP holding the American public hostage because they want ICE to continue to have carte blanche to violate people's rights.
You clearly do not understand the political motivation behind this. ICE is currently fully funded throughout this year and into next. The democrats are refusing to fund DHS because they have problems with ICE, which doesn't need the money. They consistently refuse to fund the entire DHS because they don't like ICE, which is not affected by their holdout. It's just stupid on their end. If they are willing to fund the other agencies, then...
You clearly do not understand the political motivation behind this. ICE is currently fully funded throughout this year and into next. The democrats are refusing to fund DHS because they have problems with ICE, which doesn't need the money. They consistently refuse to fund the entire DHS because they don't like ICE, which is not affected by their holdout. It's just stupid on their end. If they are willing to fund the other agencies, then fund the DHS. It won't affect ICE one way or the other.
@Professor
If it won't affect ICE at all, why is the GOP so adamant against just funding the non-ICE agencies? What's the point of putting the flying public through this crap if funding TSA et al separately doesn't stop ICE operations?
Then it's a completely half baked plan, pure impulsiveness, which is Trump's M.O. I firmly believe that Trump deciding to start a war with Iran was out of impulse rather than a careful calculus. There's evidence to back up that theory. In this case, he may have heard this plan from a call in on fox news, the day before he announced it. "Wow such a common sense plan" one might think. Well, you know...
Then it's a completely half baked plan, pure impulsiveness, which is Trump's M.O. I firmly believe that Trump deciding to start a war with Iran was out of impulse rather than a careful calculus. There's evidence to back up that theory. In this case, he may have heard this plan from a call in on fox news, the day before he announced it. "Wow such a common sense plan" one might think. Well, you know what, TSA and ICE are different jobs that require different training. Some of these weekend warriors didn't actually even get that full training at ICE.
Now I know why everyone hates you on this site. Giving Trump the benefit of the doubt, please.
Slow day in Miami. Let’s write a political post. TSA, ICE, or Contractors - who cares just keep it safe and get me on my plane.
Ben - you really do suffer from TDS. I cannot remember one thing that this administration has done that you have not found fault with. Not one. Yet you were very quiet in the yer before that. You really need to become more balanced in your writings of this blog.
Accusations of TDS are a lazy substitute for an argument. It’s also a hilarious bit of defensive maneuvering – behave in a deranged manner, then when the other side gets upset, accuse them of derangement. I’ll give it to the orange clown on this one, masterful bit of manipulation of his subjects.
This used to be a travel blog that I looked forwarded to reading a few times a week. Personally I used it for years to be aware of travel items of interest. Unfortunately, Ben has allowed his political views to creep into his coverage and writing. If that is what I wanted, there are so many other places to go for that. My ask is simply that Ben refrain from doing so.
This used to be a travel blog that I looked forwarded to reading a few times a week. Personally I used it for years to be aware of travel items of interest. Unfortunately, Ben has allowed his political views to creep into his coverage and writing. If that is what I wanted, there are so many other places to go for that. My ask is simply that Ben refrain from doing so.
I’d suggest to you something I did to a different Vichy-esque reader… “You don’t like what Ben writes? Don’t read the blog!” The headline on this one alone should have identified it as a “political one” for you, yet you clicked on it. Why?
Only a MAGA snowflake who is so incapable of self-awareness, much less critical thinking, would presume to demand editorial review over a blog that isn’t theirs because the topic made them...
I’d suggest to you something I did to a different Vichy-esque reader… “You don’t like what Ben writes? Don’t read the blog!” The headline on this one alone should have identified it as a “political one” for you, yet you clicked on it. Why?
Only a MAGA snowflake who is so incapable of self-awareness, much less critical thinking, would presume to demand editorial review over a blog that isn’t theirs because the topic made them feel uncomfortable. Are you also rewriting the information posters at US National Parks? Are you telling those “uppity players” to “shut up and dribble?”
For people like you it seems that the First Amendment is there to protect the speech that you want others to use. Your parents and teachers did you an injustice when it came to teaching Civics and now we all have to suffer for it.
I would love balanced as well. I don't recommend this site to conservative friends for that reason. I do enjoy it myself and have worked with Ford as well. I don't like politics getting in the way of my aviation info.... No problems for me...
Just a thought, but someone is going to "Thank ICE" this week and miss their flight.
That would be me… trying to go through the crew portal, I’m sure. Which is a better line?
“I wouldn’t have pegged you as ICE without the mask”
“Are you raiding Dunkin’ or Starbucks later?”
“So… you’re getting paid to do this, eh?” (With a look directed at the TSA agent next to him)
Or, have a sign on my kitbag that reads “Their names were Alex Pretti and Renee Good”
Nothing says 'welcome to the World Cup' by deploying black and brown shirts at the airport. Oswald Mosley would be proud.
Monday morning update:
...Arrived at ATL at 3:15AM, bag checked and in TSA line at 4:15AM, through security at 6:15AM.
I might still be in line had an airport employee not come through general boarding calling for priority/first class passengers and directed us to that line. I did see a handful of ICE/HSI people in full tacticool minus the long rifle, but none of them were actually doing anything other than standing around.
Monday morning update:
Arrived at ATL at 3:15AM, bag checked and in TSA line at 4:15AM, through security at 6:15AM.
I might still be in line had an airport employee not come through general boarding calling for priority/first class passengers and directed us to that line. I did see a handful of ICE/HSI people in full tacticool minus the long rifle, but none of them were actually doing anything other than standing around.
Shout out to the real heroes here, the airport employees managing absolutely insane queues and the TSA agents working without pay to get people where they're trying to go.
2+ hour wait... "none of them were actually doing anything other than standing around"
Are we 'great again' yet? 224 days until the midterms.
FWIW I’m flying my folks in from where they live and chose Aero even though it was more expensive and it worked like a breeze.
Folks shouldn’t have to make that choice though -shame on the Republicans for not agreeing to a deal that would fund TSA just so they can score political points with the orange man.
did you do the old local trick of just going to the international ATL entrance? I've wondered if it's any better over there
That trick is old news. Word got around and there's been long lines for the shuttle, not to mention actual security screening. I've also seen a handful of reports of people with domestic boarding passes getting turned away at international, so didn't want to risk it.
Airport was full of people at 3 AM with early morning flights and who'd missed flights the day before due to 4+ hour waits and rebooked for today.
At least you put the president's comments in unedited.
You criticize, but offer no solution!
How about criticizing the cause of this fiasco? THE DEMOCRATS!!!
You are the clowniest of all the clowns, dude.
Seriously — they should put all this energy in trying to come up with an appealing platform and winning elections instead of this.
How embarrassing that they’re so pathetic they twice lost to the orange buffoon.
We know what Trump is like but surely you can’t blame voters for your decision to abandon your base.
Actual-Jon Stewart spells it without the 'h'...
Trump has betrayed the MAGA Movement. Close friends of Trump are saying so (some openly). Republican members of Congress are saying so (privately). MAGA podcasters are saying so (openly). Does a person remain faithful to the Movement or to the Cult of Personality? He is expanding government well beyond what it was when he took office. The largest expansion of national debt in history. And, he's actually hiring more Federal employees than DOGE cut. Look it up.
The democrats are not blame for the garbage that the spews from mango mussolini's mouth
It's bonkers. Dump and his followers are bonkers normally, but this is utterly bonkers. it does fit into the strong-arm bullying that's the only thing they seem to know how to do, but obviously that will do nothing to improve airport performance during the shutdown or otherwise. ICE should be abolished.
This is entirely the fault of Chuck Schumer and the Democrats. They don't like the fact that Trump is fixing Biden's mistake of opening the border. It's apparent from the reaction at the SOTU that Dems don't think US citizens take priority.
I hope ICE agents find illegal aliens at the checkpoints and arrest them.
Maybe if Dems would worry about nominating credible candidates rather than ICE agents doing their job they might have won...
This is entirely the fault of Chuck Schumer and the Democrats. They don't like the fact that Trump is fixing Biden's mistake of opening the border. It's apparent from the reaction at the SOTU that Dems don't think US citizens take priority.
I hope ICE agents find illegal aliens at the checkpoints and arrest them.
Maybe if Dems would worry about nominating credible candidates rather than ICE agents doing their job they might have won in 2024. They didn't so they have suck it up until the midterms.
Facts first.
During this DHS shutdown, Democrats have tried six times to pass partial funding bills that include TSA. Republicans blocked them.
Of those, only one was clearly TSA focused. The rest funded TSA alongside other non-immigration agencies, while excluding ICE and CBP as leverage in negotiations.
So no, Democrats are not refusing to fund TSA. They are negotiating over immigration policy. Republicans are refusing to split DHS funding.
This is not principle versus sabotage....
Facts first.
During this DHS shutdown, Democrats have tried six times to pass partial funding bills that include TSA. Republicans blocked them.
Of those, only one was clearly TSA focused. The rest funded TSA alongside other non-immigration agencies, while excluding ICE and CBP as leverage in negotiations.
So no, Democrats are not refusing to fund TSA. They are negotiating over immigration policy. Republicans are refusing to split DHS funding.
This is not principle versus sabotage. It is a standard political standoff on both sides.
Just to be clear - I’m not both sides-ing this. Democrats are maneuvering in defense of fundamental American rights as defined by our constitution and bill of rights. Republicans are maneuvering to serve the whims of their Orange god.
Trying to reply to a MAGAt with logic and reason is like trying to teach a newborn calculus.
At least the newborn has an open mind and is ready to learn.
Flip side is that the newborn would also be able to understand the simple language used on networks like Faux and Newsmax
Yes, and there's another consideration. If the Republicans back down on funding all of Homeland Security, it will set a precedent that effectively gives the minority party (so long as they have 41 seats in the Senate) a line item veto on funding bills. As bad as the funding process is now, can you imagine the number and duration of future shutdowns, irrespective of who controls Congress? It will also create more pressure to dispense...
Yes, and there's another consideration. If the Republicans back down on funding all of Homeland Security, it will set a precedent that effectively gives the minority party (so long as they have 41 seats in the Senate) a line item veto on funding bills. As bad as the funding process is now, can you imagine the number and duration of future shutdowns, irrespective of who controls Congress? It will also create more pressure to dispense with the filibuster, which will lead to whipsawing policies, laws, regulations and funding every time there's a change in control of Congress. Yes, things can get worse than they are now.
The current dispute over ICE is serious, but this isn't the way to resolve it. It would be better to take delaying actions like blue-slipping nominations for now while waiting for the November election.
@Mark F
Then call your senators and tell them to get rid of the filibuster. They never will, because they're terrified of having to actually legislate (and OWN that legislation) instead of blaming Democrats for everything.
Stuff and nonsense. Minority parties only have juice to negotiate with razor thin majorities. This is not a new phenomenon. It is a fundamental fact of a political universe, if you cannot secure a filibuster proof majority in the Senate, you may have to make a deal with a minority party now and again.
these tsa focused bills are poison bills stuffed with other provisions that republicans rightfully do not want to entertain. facts first.
Omfg. Repulicans are an absolute disgrace to the US. Everybody else is laughing (while crying as well) at that complete clown of a president you have, and you people are just stupid enough to eat up all his shit and say thank you, while thinking fucking immigrants is an actual problem.
America has no allies anymore. None. Your economy is tanking. You’re giving the ultra rich tax breaks for trillions, while endebting your country to...
Omfg. Repulicans are an absolute disgrace to the US. Everybody else is laughing (while crying as well) at that complete clown of a president you have, and you people are just stupid enough to eat up all his shit and say thank you, while thinking fucking immigrants is an actual problem.
America has no allies anymore. None. Your economy is tanking. You’re giving the ultra rich tax breaks for trillions, while endebting your country to both former friends and foes, letting the get a strangle hold on your economy. And you’re still eating his shit. WTAF is wrong with you people?
David's message boils down to this: Dems are upset because "ICE agents doing their job".
Which is more appalling: if he actually believes ICE conduct is acceptable, or if he knows perfectly well it isn't and he's such a partisan troll he's willing to write codswallop? (look it up)
“When there’s a shutdown, it means the President is weak.” 225 days until the midterms…
Are they going to cover their faces in the airport too? Just one more step towards the fascist world the rightwing idiots will support. Well, that is until it affects them. Then they will join the braindead that are already crying how they “misunderstood” his threats.
Great get your passport inspected and hope you don't end up deported in the El Salvador prison
Always a good idea to put the apes in charge of the zoo. What could possibly go wrong? But fits this brainless invader of foreign countries.
Imagine the stress these TSA people have. Working for the government and not receiving a paycheck.
They have worries about paying bills, mortgages, etc.
Sending them good energy.
Will connecting or originating international carriers accept ICE security or will passengers transferring have to go through a different security procedure?
Everyone enters or leaves USA airports through the same (mismanaged) setup, regardless of airline.
Not accurate. Everyone departing from a US airport, and those with international connections through a US airport will go through TSA managed security. Everyone arriving at a US airport from an international destination will have to go through CBP, unrelated to TSA, unless they pre-cleared at one of the many international airports that provide that service prior to boarding. TSA hass absolutely nothing to do with arrivals other than general airport security.
I wouldn't go to the US right now even if you paid me a decent sum of money.
Plenty other places to go...
Trump has 2 ways to win and zero ways to lose.
1) Democrats cave and decide to fund DHS.
2) Democrats don't cave and their base fumes that ICE is all over America's airports.
How are we 10 years into this and yall don't get it?
Option 3 for him to save some face after a truly catastrophic 2026 so far - fund TSA FEMA Coast Guard as Dems have proposed many times now.
Even MAGA nation finally waking up that the America First guy they elected has now done preemptive military action in 7 countries (with Cuba next). TREMENDOUS LOSERS!!!
Great point, bro.
Pride comes before the fall
Like everything with the Trump regime, this is a show. These people aren’t properly trained to be ICE agents not to mention TSA agents. Another worthless spectacle designed to set the libs’ hair on fire. Oh what it would be like to have a functioning government instead of this fascist sideshow that we have now.
“The (Republican) Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears.”
If ICE agents have so little to do that they can be deployed as airport security screeners at >$100k per year, we clearly have too many of them.
It’s only a matter of time until someone drives a carryon toward an ICE agent, they feel threatened and open fire. ICE are a bunch of trigger-happy incels who couldn’t even get hired as mall security.
ICE’s area of expertise is interrogating and detaining foreign-looking people if they can’t, or won’t, immediately provide proof that they are in the U.S. legally. It’s not needed to fly (yet), but it IS needed to justify one’s presence within U.S. borders.
If you’re flying domestic soon, bring your passport/green card.
Proving the belief that the TSA is a joke and security facade performing for the sheeple.
Hopefully I'll be through security tomorrow before ICE screws it all up.
ha, i actually hope they do it and send ICE to the airports that need help.
I would imagine that ICE Agents would preform the following tasks.
1. Pat downs. They can probably do them more efficient than TSA Officers
2. Post standing to prevent passengers from re-entering the sterile area.
3. Moving bags onto the explosive detection machines.
You would be surprised how many TSA staff that would free up to work the actual machines to help process passengers. I don’t like ICE nor Orange monster...
I would imagine that ICE Agents would preform the following tasks.
1. Pat downs. They can probably do them more efficient than TSA Officers
2. Post standing to prevent passengers from re-entering the sterile area.
3. Moving bags onto the explosive detection machines.
You would be surprised how many TSA staff that would free up to work the actual machines to help process passengers. I don’t like ICE nor Orange monster but this could work. Trying to give them the benefit of the doubt.
Agreed. TSA officers need to run X-rays and perform secondary bag checks (and I’d argue pat downs too), but just about any other role could be performed by any federal officer with an hour or two of training.
4. Injuring themselves with involuntary discharges of their firearms and tasers.
Why would you give this organization that guns people down in the street, harasses American Citizens, expanded specifically to act as a private army, and have been told that will face no consequences for their actions, have zero training dealing with the public at the airport, from the man you call a "monster " the benefit of the doubt??? People like you are the reason that fascism creeps. Because you see it for what it...
Why would you give this organization that guns people down in the street, harasses American Citizens, expanded specifically to act as a private army, and have been told that will face no consequences for their actions, have zero training dealing with the public at the airport, from the man you call a "monster " the benefit of the doubt??? People like you are the reason that fascism creeps. Because you see it for what it is and refuse to say NO. When you get dragged by ICE you will have to one to blame but yourself. I will see you scream "BUT I AM A US CITIZEN" and I will say "I should give ICE the benefit of the doubt". SHAME
So our President is taking action to help our TSA agents (who currently are not being paid due to the inaction by the Democrats), yet the travel blogger is blaming our President??
Three proposals were sent up by the Dems. All rejected by the party in control. But the party in control did focus on trying to ban transgender athletes which failed because many republicans were afraid to vote. Facts hurt.
Facts are wasted on republicans. They now only believe what the orange clown is telling them, no matter how absurd.
If you are interested in the truth, go to the Congressional Record. You will find that the Democrats (I am not one) have repeatedly proposed TSA funding bills that the Republicans have repeatedly rejected. One cannot deny what is in the actual Congressional Record. It's not fake news from some compromised news source. It's not some guy on the Internet just making it up. It's your choice.
Ol Jim Narrows, low information MAGA voter and undoubtedly no passport, back again to spew more ignorance.
Go back to Turning Point or wherever you come from.
Haha taking action, yes tweeting from the toilet is about as much action as this turd is capable of. If anything actually happens it will be because of his lackeys who will be scapegoated when it all goes horribly wrong. Rinse and repeat...
Jim is almost certainly a multi of 1990.
More like by the orange buffoon. Republicans keep refusing TSA funding, not Democrats. But hey, we get to be less safe thanks to the untrained, gun happy idiots.
Trump's friends now say that it's no longer about the MAGA agenda. It's about distraction. Epstein's father was an Israeli government operative. Epstein's boss (Wexler) funded Israeli government operations. Epstein's honey pot trap was an Israeli government operation. Epstein's 2008 trial contained witness testimony that Trump had sex with at least two girls who were 13 years old at the time. He was ensnared by and he is beholden to the Israeli government.
Is it time the rest of the world started referring to the American Government as the American Regime?
To the rest of the world (albeit possibly minus Isreal), you are slowly sliding into the abyss of a totalitarianism.
Please stop... I really want to go and visit my sane American friends again. But I ain't setting foot over this regime is ended.
No one is. It’s a nightmare. The planes to the US are half empty or being cancelled. Tourists don’t want to go anymore, and ICE agents at the airports won’t help. It’s a disaster, but the MAGA crowd are clueless. And the world is watching in horror as the former shining city on a hill is turning into Gilead.
So now the stupid, racist, untrained ICE goons will start murdering Americans at airports instead of Minneapolis. When you left your house this morning, you thought you were going to Tokyo, but really you’re going to the morgue for displeasing the ICE twats.
What’s also quite telling is the fat orange Nazi’s presentation of ICE as a threat. He’s not suggesting that they are there to help speed things along. He’s suggesting that bad...
So now the stupid, racist, untrained ICE goons will start murdering Americans at airports instead of Minneapolis. When you left your house this morning, you thought you were going to Tokyo, but really you’re going to the morgue for displeasing the ICE twats.
What’s also quite telling is the fat orange Nazi’s presentation of ICE as a threat. He’s not suggesting that they are there to help speed things along. He’s suggesting that bad things will happen. He seems to have forgotten that right wing nut jobs (the “base”) also go to airports, so he’ll be abusing and murdering his own supporters.
Mullin is making the Sunday morning interview rounds and made it clear that they are being implemented in locations as we speak and will be in airports starting tomorrow.
This is going to happen apparently, and it will not end well. Protests, violence and more chaos...this time at airports.
On camera, Mullin said: "I don't understand why people criticize the president just because he doesn't like brown people." Look it up.
What happened to the government taxes charged on the tickets ? We pay that tax for TSA , no?
Such revenues (even national park entry fees) typically do not stay within the agency. Instead, they go into a "general" fund and must be expressly allocated back to the agency in an authorization bill.
Cant wait for Trump's army of divorced Dads to tackle me to the ground when I forget to take my laptop out of my carry-on
Trump thinks he's threatening Democrats, but threatening the entire nation with gross incompetence and stupidity isn't quite the flex he thinks it is.
This is not going to go well at all. We saw what happened in Minneapolis. Will ICE be security screening in the usual manner of TSA agents or will they be detaining people who they deem to be a security threat? This is absolutely insane.
@ben why aren’t you asking the simple question, why is TSA not funded yet???
It seems like that part you understand well… tells me a lot about the competence of the other side…
Dems keep offering bills to fund TSA. The party in charge of all 3 branches of the government won’t support it.
Now that the Trump Shutdown + high gas prices are hitting MAGA, maybe they will get their heads out of the sand.
This response is correct. The Democrats (I am not one) have repeatedly proposed TSA funding bills and the Republicans have repeatedly rejected them.
Looking forward to the inevitable arrival of MAGAts so this thread who somehow found their way to OMAAT and are only here for political content
A shutdown falls on the President’s lack of leadership. He can’t even control his own party and get people together in a room. A shutdown means the president is weak.
TACO. Can we get back to the Trump-Epstein files?
The clown threatens to start new wars (Cuba) to distract from the sh!tshow that is the current war (Iran).
Stupid leader. Idiotic, embarrassment of a country.
It sounds as if even Littlejohn, of the Daily Mail ‘viewspaper’, couldn’t make this charade up.
Is this how ICE will hit quotas? Just arrest people based on the contents on their carry-on. "Very un-American shampoo you have there"
Are ICE agents even qualified to work at TSA checkpoints? Shouldn't they get weeks of training for that?
@ S_LEE -- They're not qualified, and yes, they do need training.
They are only being used for general security, which every armed office in the country has been trained. The idea is if they can free up TSA agents from standing at a door, the TSA agents could be deployed to operate the checkpoints. Ever check facts or just get this off your social media feed?
@Professor
Going through ATL today, they were doing none of that. Just standing around while airport employees managed lines and TSA checked docs/ran dogs/operated scanners. They're a waste of oxygen.
And this cements my decision to never visit again.
We are at war with the far left as they
want to destroy all that we love. They are
trying to break America while Trump and the team wants is to restore former pride and Greatness.
@ Hank Tarn -- I'm curious, may I ask, what is "all that we love," specifically?
And to add to Ben's question, what is (and who are) the "far left" and what exactly are they destroying?
My guess if Hank were truly being honest with himself is he’s hoping for a return to an era with fewer people with melanin in their skin…
Chump is living proof that a conman does not have to be smart, if his victims are stupid enough.
This is the sort of brainwashed cult level garbage that gets reflexively spewed every time. It betrays an absence of critical thought and basic understanding of the facts (foremost of which is that Republicans currently control all branches of government and the Democrats have regularly advanced funding bills for non-ICE components of D.H.S. funding only to be blocked by the majority).
Something tells me this would be the verbatim reply we’d get if he...
This is the sort of brainwashed cult level garbage that gets reflexively spewed every time. It betrays an absence of critical thought and basic understanding of the facts (foremost of which is that Republicans currently control all branches of government and the Democrats have regularly advanced funding bills for non-ICE components of D.H.S. funding only to be blocked by the majority).
Something tells me this would be the verbatim reply we’d get if he actually did stand in the middle of fifth ave and shoot someone as he once famously jested about.
Amazing how being to the left of literal white supremacists and Christian nationalists is considered "far left" by MAGA. All I want is for the President to abide by the law, treat our allies with respect, and appoint competent people. I haven't seen any of that from the right since Dubya, and even then some of that is arguable.
The level of incompetence in this administration is truly incomprehensible. I’m fairly sure many of my classmates in my introductory level urban planning class could run the department of transportation better than anyone this administration could appoint.
Love it!
I feel bad for liberals and am starting to get tired of all this winning. Maybe we should let a man play in the women’s match madness bracket just to throw them a bone.
You don’t even live in the US anymore - but the Blue Wave is going to swallow this idiocy and incompetence in November
Ben, it’s so obvious you suffer from TDS.
You were so tired of all this winning that you tuck tailed and ran off to another country. Why is your picture that of an American flag? Does your definition of patriotism involve leaving when the going gets tough? Does the country that so generously took you in, know that you're a traitor who's still loyal to another country? Do they have an ICE that can shoot you in the face for it?
I would give my doge check to help pay for tsa
Travelling to the U.S. has never looked so unappealing …. let’s not bother until the smoke clears. Back to the Cape for some autumn sunshine looks too good to miss.
Don't come. There are too many other places in the world not governed by a deranged octogenarian with a hard-on and nukes at his disposal.
Stupid fool.....
I think it’s better to stick with “Lost for words” because where would you even begin to understand this maniacs brain , decimating the world economies ,creating wars , where will we end up
Hopefully they won't shoot me for not following instructions.
3-1-1 or CECOT!